We asked Paul Hudson, a therapist who works on the Bromley Homeless therapy team, to give us his thoughts on the work that he does.
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Hello,
I’m Paul Hudson and I work on the Bromley Homeless Therapy team. This is a different way of working compared with traditional Psychotherapy sessions, and we’re in a constant organic process of development, learning from each other, clients and therapist alike.
People living in a stage of homelessness are at the sharp end of human experience. They must navigate in the moment, or live in the now, as we say these days. Living on the street is dangerous and harsh, and while for a very few it is their preference, the vast majority I have met want to be housed as soon as possible. They have found themselves unexpectedly homeless, often following a crisis, rupture or ending in relationship with a partner, family, employer or even the prison system. Mental health issues are so far, always a factor.
Working as a therapist in this group is a privilege and a precious learning experience, created by my clients and me. The space and time available and the opportunity to be flexible, creative and experimental are all much appreciated bonuses that come with the job. Where appropriate, I include a creative aspect such as sound or modelling clay. We are developing the therapeutic relationship in a wider environment and in an improvisational and instinctive way.
What has been important is to identify, witness and honour the experiences of those that I encounter, both in the group dynamic and in one-to-one sessional work. This is how, together, we start to address the effect of the deficit of familial, social and cultural care, as well as resultant low self-esteem that are so often a factor of homelessness.
Early family trauma, lack of access to health services and the omnipresent availability of alcohol and other drugs, results in a variety of behaviour that leads to misfortune, from prison to hospital or destitution. Clients come to us at a time of extreme physical and emotional vulnerability, greatly in need of healthy human contact, which as a therapist I provide, both in a group and one-to-one setting. My professional training helps me to assess potential mental health issues in sessions and my lived experience helps me to quickly identify addiction issues.
My psychotherapy experience and life journey helps me to tune in to nuances in group interaction which is important in order to pick up and identify presenting affect in a timely manner. People with more chronic mental health issues are welcomed and included, sometimes getting assistance to obtain an official psychiatric diagnosis, if wanted.
How it works
In a typical day, clients will be gathered in a group in the common room, where there’s tea and coffee, food, two computers with wifi, mobile phone access if needed, and volunteers with varying areas of expertise. The group is welcoming of newcomers and inclusive in its energy. Conversation will develop among people, and topics will arise which will be potentially emotive. Members of the group are noticeably compassionate toward each other and interested in the progress of their fellows.
The group is fluid and while there are regulars, the new arrivals and itinerant members are in flux. Sometimes, a flash point will flare up, which then is brought to wider group awareness and usually it becomes a learning point.
Some clients arrive in crisis, in which case I invite them to take some time one-to-one. This invitation is usually accepted and is often clearly the first time someone has been truly heard. Once clients feel more part of the group, they will behave respectfully toward other group members, becoming part of it, returning for one-to-one sessions, either weekly or ad hoc, whatever they prefer.
Our Future Plans
Continued funding is obviously vital, and more dedicated premises would be ideal. This will only be possible, however if sufficient funds become available. Dedicated resources for addiction support, education and perhaps making bridges with other community projects, could be included, as well as liaison with recovery fellowships.
We have talked about having a music group, which would be a particularly exciting project for me, with my self-taught musicianship. I also have lived experience of addiction and twelve step recovery, which is so useful. So, the church is a great start, and now somewhere with more space and resources would be ideal.
Finally
Clients who come to the service have usually been turned away at many other agencies. They need help, and it is by using the wide range of skill sets of the staff at the service, that people can get what they need, from food to empathy, even legal information.
By seeing the therapists at Bromley Homeless, whether in group or one to one, the interpersonal aspect of clients’ needs can begin to emerge and be met. Their stories are witnessed, and trauma is validated, both one-to-one and shared in the group. The practical needs such as food, healthcare and accommodation are met at the same time.
We are making an environment, a group, where people matter to each other. They belong to this group of people who don’t belong anywhere else. Claude Steiner created a concept called the Stroke Economy, taking Eric Berne’s idea of a stroke as a unit of recognition, as its integral part. This is a good way to understand the importance of the group.
I continue to learn a great deal from the people I meet at Bromley Homeless, group members and staff alike, and I personally have a deep sense of gratitude for my time here.
Paul Hudson
[MBACP, Level 7 Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy]
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Our request of you…
Bromley Homeless rely 100% on donations for the core service. We need your donations in order that we can plan and target our resources.
What your donation could provide:
- £10 – a hot meal, a listening ear, an oyster top up all helping to take the first steps out of homelessness
- £30 – 1-2-1 advice & support session with our specialist advisors helping in the journey to a safe home
- £60 – one night’s emergency accommodation for someone who may otherwise have no option but to sleep rough.
Thank you for your time in reading this; you may have heard in the news that Rough sleeping and homelessness increased in 2022 with almost 100,000 households in temporary accommodation.
Life is not getting easier for our clients and we welcome your support!
PS: If you feel you can’t donate, please pass this message on. We’re a small charity with focused priorities, but we don’t have the reach of the larger charities. We don’t advertise, and 97.9p in the £ goes on the delivery of our services, helping to create better lives for our clients.
